Molecular Genetic Analysis of Parasite Survival in P. falciparum Malaria.
Abstract
The human malaria parasite evades the protective mechanisms of its host through a complex variety of strategies. Extensive genetic variation is thought to contribute to the mechanism by which the parasite survives within its vertebrate host. Recent studies have focussed on the mechanism of genetic variability of the parasite. Pronounced chromosomal size variations are observed between different geographical isolates of the parasite and during mitotic growth of the parasite in culture. Several of these chromosomal polymorphisms have been characterized and found to be the result of chromosome breakage followed by the healing of these broken ends by the addition of telomere repeats, resulting in large distal deletions and truncated chromosomes. Only the chromosomal fragments associated with centromere containing elements are mitotically stable and retained. Further insight into the molecular mechanism of this process was obtained by the analysis of the RESA inversion/breakage on chromosome 1. In at least one case, this process resulted in a transcriptional Malaria, Vaccine, Molecular biology, Merozoite, Erythrocyte, Recombinant DNA, RA 1.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 15, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA253312
Entities
People
- Jeffrey Ravetch
Organizations
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center